Beer-faucet.



R. A. CHAMPION.

BEER FAUOET.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 6, 1912.

Patented J an. 28, 1913.

ROADY A. CHAMPION, OF DENISON, IOWA. I

IBEER-FAUCET.

i an .554.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan.28,19 13.

Application filed August a, 1912. Serial No. 713,651.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, Ronny A. CHAMPION, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denison, in the county of Crawford and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beer-Faucets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to faucets, and particularly to that class of faucets whereby air is forced into the upper portion of the barrel or cask containing the liquid to be delivered so as to force the llquid out through the faucet. x p

The primary object of my invention is to provide a very simple, cheap, and effective device of, this character, easily operated, easily' repaired, having few parts and not liable to get out of order.

A further object is to improve the construction of the valve used in the air compressing pump whereby to prevent any out let of the beer into the pump upon the up stroke of the piston.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is longitudinal section of a faucet constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the faucet and the air pump thereon, the pump rod being only partially in section. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the pump piston. Fig. 4 is a perspective detail view of the valve cap on the lower end of the pump cylinder.

Referring to these drawings, 2 designates a faucet preferably formed of wood and having a body portion and a tapered shank 3 whereby it may be forced into the bung hole of a barrel. The tapered shank 3 is formed with a longitudinally extending bore 4 which extends into the body of the faucet and there connects with a downwardly extending bore 5. Passing into this bore 5 is a tubular valve 6 whose exterior diameter is equalto the interior diameter of the bore 5 and which fits snugly into the bore. The upper end. of this tubular valve is enlarged as at 7 and formed with a bandle 8 whereby the valve may be rotated. The tubular valve is formed at one point in its circumference with a port 9 adapted to register with the bore 4 and when it has so registered,'the liquid within the barrel will pass along the-bore 4 through the port 9 and downward through the tubular valve 6 and be discharged. A gasket 10 is disposed between the enlarged upper end of the tubular valve and the face of the body portion of the faucet and a gasket 11 fits around the lower end of the tubular valve and against the lower face of the body of the faucet and is held in place thereon by means of a bur 12 which also holds the valve in its place.

Inorder that air may be forced into the barrel through the faucet in order to expel the contents .of the barrel whenthe valve 6 is opened, I form the upper side of the faucet with an enlarged hub 13, this being formed in turn with a cylindrical socket 14; having" a reduced portion which with the socket forms a valve chamber 15 opening by a port 16 into the bore 4. Having its lower end disposed in this socket 14 is a pump cylinder or barrel 17. This is reduced at its lower end so as to fit said socket 14: and has a uniform interior bore forming a piston chamber and designated 18. The lowerend of the barrel is formed with a nipple 19 upon which is disposed a valve comprising a rubber cap 20 conical at its bottom and formed with a transverse rib 21 which is longitudinally slitted as at 22,

the resilient end of the rubber tending to keep the slit normally closed and pressure upon the conical bottom of the valve tende ing to keep the slit closed.

Operating within the barrel 17 is a piston comprising a tubular piston rod 23 formed with a cross handle and having an air inlet port 21 intermediate its ends. The lower end of this barrel 23 extends down through a head 25 and a gasket 26. Mounted upon the lower end of the rod is a cap 27 which is hollow so as to form a valve chamber for a ball valve 28. The lower end of the cap 27 is rounded and is formed with a transverse slot 29 immediately below the ball 28. The ball 28 when moved upward fits against the lower end of the tubular stem 23 while when the ball is downward, it does not obstruct the passage through the slot 29 for the reason that this slot is longer than the diameter of the ball. It will thus be seen that upon an upward movement of the pis-i ton, the ball 28 will move downward away from the lower end of the tubular piston rod 23 and air will rush into the tubular piston rod, pass around the ball 28 and out through the slot 29 and into the lower pormovement of the piston, however, the ball 28 will be forced up to its seat against the lower end of the tubular rod 23 and the air within the chamber formed in the lower end of the barrel 17 will he forced out through the slit 22 in the cap 20 and into the bore 4 and thus into the cask or barrel. The ball 28 must have at least a quarter of an inch play in order to operatezproperly.

The operation of my invention will be obvious. If there is sufiicientpressure behind the liquid within the'cas'k, the pump need not be operated, but when the valve 6 is turned to its proper position, the beer or other liquid will pass along the bore l t-hrou h the port 9 and downward through the dlscharge 5. When the valve is turned in the opposite direction, however, this outflow of liquid will be stopped. If, however, there,- is notasuficient pressure behind the beer within the cask or barrel, then the piston is reciprocated and upon each down stroke of the piston, the air will be forced into the bore l and into the barrel until the pressure behind the liquid is sufficient to cause a rapid flow out through the discharge passage 5.

It will be noticed particularly that the natural gases contained within the upper portion of' the barrel or keg do not escape as is the case where a vent is opened into the barrel or keg and, furthermore, experience has shown me that where my invention is used commotion of the liquid takes place when air is. forced through the liquid and into the upper portion of the barrel or keg, reduces a great deal of eiferv'escence thus increasing the amount of gas in the upper portion of the he and thus reducing the amount of air Whic must be forced in in order to secure proper pressure on the liquid. ,It is further to be noted that my improved beer faucet is very simple and that it may be cheaply made and, further, that thecap 20 may beeasily renewed when worn. Again it will be noted that the valve 28 may be easily replaced in case it becomes worn, and that the valve 28 is housed so that it can not easily be damaged.

It is to be understood that the barrel 17 is to fit tightly into the body of the faucet 2 and that the valve 6 is also to fit snugly within its bore 5.

What I claim is:

1. A beer faucet comprising a body taperedat one end and having a longitudinal bore and a discharge bore, a valve in the discharge bore and an air pump connected with the body and including a barrel opening into the longitudinal bore, a valve opening to pressure from the interiorof the pump barrel and controlling the inlet of air from the pump to the longitudinal bore, a piston having a head disposed within the barrel, a tubular stem extending through the head, a valve adapted to seat against the lower end of the stern, and a cap mounted upon the head and surrounding the valve and having a discharge perforation at its extremity.

2. A beer faucet comprising a body tapered at one end and having a longitudinal bore and a discharge bore, a rotary tubular valve in the discharge bore having a perforation adaptedto aline with the longitudinal bore and an air pump connected to the body and including a tubular barrel, and opening into the longitudinal bore, a resilient 'valve on the lower end of the barrel and comprising a rubber cap having a conical under face and a transverse rib extendingacross the under face, said transverse rib being longitudinally slitted, said slit being normally closed by the resilience of the cap, a piston having a head disposed within the barrel,a tubular stem extending through the head, a valve adapted to seat against the lower end of the stem, and a cap mounted upon the head and surrounding the valve and having a discharge perforation at its extremity.

3. A beer faucet comprising a body tapered atone end and blunt at the other and having a longitudinal bore extending into the body from the tapered end thereof and a discharge bore extending at right angles to the longitudinal bore, a rotatable tubular valve in the discharge bore having a perforation registrable with the longitudinal bore, a handleon the valve, a pump barrel having a reduced lower end and a nipple on said reduced lower end, the body of the faucet being formedwith a chamber to 'receive the lower end of the barrel, a rubber cap disposed on the nipple and having a conical lower end formed with a transverse rib, said rib being longitudinally slitted, the resilience of the cap holding the slit closed, the said slit however being opened by pressure from within the barrel, and a piston mounted in the barrel and comprising a tubular stemhaving an air inlet perforation, a head through which the stem passes, a cap mounted upon the lower end of'the head and forming a valve chamber, said cap be- "ing perforated at its lower end, and a ball valve disposed in said chamber and adapted .to seat against the lower end of the stem.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROADY a. CHAMPION. a 8. 

